Family works to find hit-and-run driver who killed mother of five

By
Mitch Hotts, The Macomb Daily

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Friends and relatives of the Washington Township mother killed in a hit-and-run accident in December are working on a community awareness campaign to help authorities find who was behind the wheel of the car that ran her down.

The Justice for Sandra Lee Loepp fund will pass out fliers in the community on Friday afternoon and then attend a fundraiser at Art & Jake’s Sports Bar where the owner will donate 10 percent of sales from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. to the group.

“The community has been amazing in helping us,” said Kristie Bottle, Loepp’s sister. “We very much appreciate everything the businesses and others have done to help us.”

Loepp, 37, a mother of five, died Dec. 16 after she was struck by a car while walking home about 1 a.m. on Old Van Dyke near 28 Mile Road after a night of socializing with friends. The driver apparently dragged her about 60 feet before stopping at the Washington Township Mobile Home Park where he or she got out of the car and dislodged the body, leaving the woman near a stand of mailboxes before driving off.

Her body was found the next morning by a passer-by.

Investigators from the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office have not been able to track down the offender.

That’s why the family’s supporters are hitting the streets on Friday to pass out informational fliers in parking lots, business storefronts and elsewhere along the Van Dyke corridor. They hope the additional publicity may spark the tip needed to crack the case. They handed out several hundred fliers last weekend and this weekend may have as many as 10,000 fliers to distribute.

The effort will run from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday beginning at ExpertEyes, 8703 26 Mile Road, in the Meijer complex. Volunteers are welcome to participate.

Dr. Barbara Horn, a personal friend of Loepp who was with her on the night of the fatal accident, said she offered her office at ExpertEyes so volunteers could stay warm while they planned the day’s distribution.

“Sandra had the biggest heart of any human being you could meet,” Horn said, her voice cracking with emotion. “She was an incredible mother, wife and friend who will be greatly missed.”

Afterwards, Art & Jake’s, 65859 Van Dyke, will conduct a fundraiser for the group with donations and 50/50 raffles. The funds will be used to pay for fliers, banners, signs and other tools in the awareness campaign.

Stacy Maciejewski, general manager of Art & Jake’s, said the owners wanted to help out because Loepp and her family frequently dined there.

“We realize they need money to pay for the fliers and we’re right down the street from where this happened, so we wanted to help,” Maciejewski said.

More fundraisers are planned for the future including one on Jan. 9 at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on 26 Mile Road in Washington Township. For more information, visit the Justice for Sandra Lee Loepp page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JusticeForSandraLoepp.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Tips may be provided anonymously at 1-800-SPEAKUP or online at www.1800speakup.org. Information may also be phoned in to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office at (586) 307-9412,